Five outstanding young footballers are sure to be the envy of their peers next month when they leave to undergo training in Brazil. Micah Mings, Raymond Hope, Shane Hermas, Tremaine St Hill and Damien Lorde have been in training at Dexter’s Brazilian Football Academy for several years. It is because of their “physical and technical ability”, said coach Dexter Marshall, that these players were selected for the one-month training stint, for which they leave on August 7. He added that the Brazilian scout who watched these boys play in 2008 “was reminded of the talent in Brazil”.Marshall said he was proud to see five of the “finest footballers” embark on this venture to receive professional training.“Should these players show sound ability, they will be drafted to the [Brazilian] youth teams . . . they will work their way up to become professional players,” he added. “We in Barbados have the first five players [from the Caribbean] to be invited to Brazil for trials.”Wilfred Hayde, general manager of the academy, said the academy was “built on discipline” and as a result the boys all have a “sound background”. He made an appeal to corporate Barbados to “go into their pockets and support this venture”, which has a total cost of $70 000.Every dollar counts“We are really expecting all of Barbados to support this . . . every dollar counts,” said Paul Leacock, chairman of the fund-raising committee. Leacock indicated that those entities which supported the boys would have their company logos on the boys’ jerseys.“They will not only gain expertise in sports, but also in terms of culture, language, experience and exposure. This trip provides the opportunity for Barbados to have professional players from which we can draw.”Mings, a midfielder from Queen’s College, said although he expected the training in Brazil to be difficult, he was willing to play to the best of his ability as it was “something worthwhile”.Hope, 16, of Lester Vaughan Memorial School, said he was extremely grateful for this opportunity as it had always been his dream to be a professional footballer. “I now realise why he [Marshall] has pushed me so hard for all these years.”“When I get to Brazil I’m going to work hard,” striker Tremaine St Hill said. “I’m going to do everything I’m supposed to do because this is my dream too.”The youngest of the group, Hermas,14, said that when he first started to train with the academy he had remained “the small man of the group”. This has not deterred him as he “does not make sport when it comes to training” and sees a scholarship in his future.St Leonard’s Boys’ School student Lorde said when he heard of the trip he immediately “pulled up his socks” to ensure his place among the group.
